New Downtown E.C. Children’s Boutique Focuses on Fun, Earth-Friendly Apparel
bookstore co-founder’s latest venture is called Planette Kids
Tom Giffey, photos by Ma Vue |
Planette Kids, a brand-new kid-oriented boutique in downtown Eau Claire, is located within a family friendly solar system: the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library and the Children’s Museum of Eau Claire are nearby, as is Phoenix Park and a pair of ice cream shops.
Proprietor Jill Heinke Moen says she has more than location on her side: She’s hoping that her clothing store’s commitment to environmentally friendly and socially conscious products exerts enough gravity to pull customers toward Planette Kids as well.
“We all have to wear clothes, so you might as well feel good about it,” the entrepreneur and mother of two said during a recent interview at the soon-to-open store in Suite 116 of 100 N. Farwell St.
The brightly painted store occupies 800 square feet on the first floor of Andante, a five-story mixed-use building that opened last year overlooking the Eau Claire River between North Barstow and North Farwell streets. It’s next to Eau Claire Vintage, another new clothing store.
”
By highlighting earth-friendly, human-friendly, women-owned, and minority-owned brands, Planette Kids’ ethos is an extension of Dotters’, definitely.
JILL HEINKE MOEN
planette kids owner, on the relationship between the new boutique and dotters Books, which she co-founded
The store will feature clothing for kids from baby to size 14, including play clothes, dress clothes, and outerwear from such children’s brands as Hatley, Mayoral, Deux par Deux, and Angel Dear, as well as many smaller companies. In addition to clothing, the store will carry some accessories, backpacks, and toys.
If you recognize Heinke Moen’s name, it may be because she was one of the original co-founders of Dotters Books of Eau Claire alongside Margaret Leonard and Elizabeth de Cleyre. (Leonard is now sole owner of the bookstore, 307 S. Barstow St.) Even when Dotters was starting in 2018, Heinke Moen – at the time a new mother – was dreaming about creating a baby-focused store.
“It became so much more apparent to me that we needed an alternative to the big box stores and online shopping,” she explained. In addition to being able to actually see and touch the merchandise in a physical store rather than simply shop online, she said, “You can step in the door and know that everything’s been vetted.”
Heinke Moen said her experience with Dotters Books helped in her new venture in two respects: “Not only did it give me confidence in a starting-a-business-from-the-ground-up scrappy kind of way, but it also gave me confidence that the E.C. community values businesses who prioritize social justice and equity,” she explained. “By highlighting earth-friendly, human-friendly, women-owned, and minority-owned brands, Planette Kids’ ethos is an extension of Dotters’, definitely.”
Heinke Moen wants the store to be welcoming to all kinds of customers, whether they’re parents, grandparents, people shopping for gifts, or kids themselves (keep you eyes open for a unique, kid-friendly feature at the check out).
“It’s going to be really fun in here – a huge mix of styles and price points,” Heinke Moen promised.
Planette Kids will open soon at 100 N. Farwell St., Suite 116. The entrance is on the Eau Claire River side of the Andante Building. Learn more on Instagram (@planettekids).
